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The various forms of love throughout the novel and its impact on each character of the story.
By Addy Pascarella Chapters 1-7 In these first few chapters, Bronte doesn't use love in a fairytale way where the young couple (Heathcliff and Cathy Earnshaw) falls deeply in love with no problem. Instead, it causes Mr. Earnshaw and the Lintons distress for Cathy and passionate hate toward Heathcliff. When Heathcliff first fell in love with Cathy, and she lead him on, he did not expect to take all the ridiculous punishment from her family. Being left by Cathy in sad confusion, his suppressed, cold heart turns brings out his dark, sulky side appears. Instead of being a "solace" for Heathcliff, the love between him and Cathy only brought him more hate and rejection from everyone else (Bronte 15). As Bronte clearly sets a permanet tone of depression, darkness, and foreboding, she also portrays that Heathcliff will not just let all his wounds of abuse fade away, but will want revenge. Revenge never succeeds without starting new problems. Bronte will use Cathy as Heathcliff's motivation and Achilles Heel. Chapters 8-9 Even as the readers and characters begin to realize that Cathy Earnshaw is “ignorant of the duties" she must "undertake in marrying,” she leads the men that have fallen for her like a dog on a leash (Bronte 186). This is a broken form of eros love because one partner in the relationship takes more control than the other. As the relationships continue to be crooked and unbalanced, this foreshadows a twisted path of feuds and destruction ahead. Even though Cathy thinks that Heathcliff is the one that "does not know what being in love is,” she is truly the one that needs to discover true love and commitment (Bronte 183). Bronte portrays that if the people in a relationship do not balance each other, like how "opposites attract," their problems will decay them emotionally and physically. Also, when Mr. Earnshaw comes home and almost kills his son, this displayst the broken form of storge, or family, love. Just like how Earnshaw relentlessly abused Heathcliff, he continues to carry on the dark mood in the home toward his own "flesh and blood" (Bronte 167). Mr. Earnshaw's abusive behaviors also foreshadows the dark characterisitcs of Wuthering Heights will continue to linger and refuse to let a happy, family love form. Chapter 10 When Heathcliff unexpectedly returns to visit Cathy, Cathy not only “glowed with another feeling,” but started a feud with Isabella Linton over Heathcliff (Bronte 216). Once again, Cathy exploits her selfish desire for Heathcliff, even though she is already married. This situation displays that she “desires no one to be loved but herself" (Bronte 232). As for Heathcliff, the author describes that “he shrank forebodingly from the idea of committing Isabella to its keeping” (Bronte 229). Bronte displays that love affairs easily become childish and selfish, dut to the character's attitudes. Chapters 11-12 As Cathy increases her insanity, due to her constant battle in the love triangle with Heathcliff and Edgar, she keeps going down the path of self destruction. Even though she truly doesn't love Edgar Linton, at this point she is "so insane" that she continues to "ecourage that worthless suitor" because she is afraid to loose him. Cathy wants both men, one for their romance and looks, and the other for his wealth. Not only is this selfish of Cathy because she is trying to satisfy her own needs, but she encourages the anguish inside Heathcliff which will effect the characters in the future of the novel. These relationships are so unhealthy for Cathy, Heathcliff, and Edgar, that now all of them have accompanied her on her path to destruction. As confusing and exhausting as these conflicts already are, "all bonds of relationship" between these characters are doomed to be broken (Bronte 272). Chapters 13-16 As Catherine slowly dies, she claims that Heathcliff "has broken her heart" and is the reason why she is dying (Bronte 362). Catherine's "infernal selfishness" keeps her from realizing that she is actually killing herself and torturing Heathcliff by acusing him of her illness (Bronte 364). Even though Cathy and Heathcliff think they have a strong eros (romantic) relationship, it is actually their path to self destruction. Cathy's is the first to fall, and Heathcliff will always live in pain. This situation shows that Bronte has a negative view on love and deep relationships of young lovers because there never seems to be a glimpse of hope for them, only doom. Bronte also portrays the sense of ignorance in Cathy because instead of doing the right thing by marrying Heathcliff, even when she knew that was the right thing to do, she chose to secure her doom by separating herself from him and marrying Mr. Linton. Chapters 17-20 Little Cathy, even though she is brighter and happier than her mother, she still resembles the same qualities when it comes to choosing who she likes and who she doesn't. When Cathy wants to take “refuge from the idea" that Hareton, a poor boy, is her cousin, but completely accepts Linton, her wealthier and more proper cousin, this begins to become a microcosm of of mother's decisions (Bronte 449). Catherine Earnshaw chose Edgar over Heathcliff because of money and reputation. This similarity in both Catherine Earnshaw and her daughter show that the worldly pleasures (money, reputation, honor) blind and restrain people from what they truly desire. However, Bronte has clearly made the point that settling for someone without love, just for his or her wealth and lifestyle, is not the better option because regret will come back to haunt them. Chapters 21- 24 For the first time in years, "the youth," Cathy Linton and Linton Heathcliff, come back into each other's lives (Bronte 494). Like star- crossed lovers, they send “copious love-letters" that are "foolish," but they keep each other hopeful of their future (Bronte 517). Bronte makes them have a troubled and discouraged relationship to foreshadow that their future may be hopeless, and they are not meant to be. Although they love each other, Cathy loves him out of pity, and Linton loves her to hide from solitude. Also, one aspect that holds Cathy back from completely giving her love to Linton is her father, Edgar Linton. Even though Linton claims to be terribly ill, Mr. Linton slowly becomes weaker overtime as well. Cathy states that she “caresfor nothing in comparison” to her father, even Linton. Cathy loves her father truly because he is all she has left of her direct family, while Linton only arouses her sympathy for a lost boy. Chapters 25-28 Even though the young teenagers believe they "have done nothing to deserve this separation," which is true, they do not understand that their separation is the only option that will stop Heathcliff's plan of revenge on Edgar (Bronte 591). Unfortunately, how could Cathy "refuse him" knowing that forcing Heathcliff's plan to fail will put Linton's life in jeopardy (Bronte 617)? Cathy's pity for Linton's miserable life reveals that their relationship is not full of romantic passion, but motherly passion driven by guilt. There may not be a romantic connection between the two youths, but when Linton risk being severely tortured by his father and frees Cathy from Wuthering Heights, he not only shows an act of maturity for the first time, but how deeply he feels for Cathy. Even after all the attempts to end Heathcliff's evil plan, when Edgar dies, Cathy is not "left entirely alone after his death," but with a raging uncle and a forced marriage consisted of pity (Bronte 607). Chapters 29-31 After being held captive in Heathcliff's hellish house, Cathy claims that Linton is all she has left "to love in this world" because he has taken everything from her that she knew (Bronte 656). The only reason that Cathy claims both Linton and herself love each other the same is because he is all she has left that is not cruel and angry. Now, both Linton and Cathy love each other out of pity for their misfortunes and torture. When Linton dies, Cathy's brightness begins to fade even quicker because Linton was her last ray of comfort, and "she has no lover or liker among" the estate (Bronte 680). Although, when Hareton tries to show her some gesture of kindness, she only snaps and discourages him. Thinking she is "too fine for Mr. Hareton" reveals her weakness: pride (Bronte 675). It is not her fault that she consistently sees darkness with no hope, and wishes to separate from everyone at Wuthering Heights, but if she continues to let her pride control her actions, she will never find or "deserve" someone's attempt of kind affection (Bronte 680). Chapters 32-34 "Catherine, by instinct," slowly spreads more light and love through the home as Heathcliff retreats into solitude with his dreadfulness (Bronte 725). Because Catherine had an "instict" to spread love, that is why Nelly was so attachted to her, and she knew that Cathy would spark hope in Wuthering heights. Turns out, Nelly had a plan to get Mr. Lockwood and Cathy together to save everyone from the drearyness of the Heights. This is why Nelly told Mr. Lockwood the story after all, and that is why Mr. Lockwood is so significant to the novel. Bronte does not bring him and Cathy together, but instead brings Cathy and Hareton together to show how Cathy's love has the ability to overcome the darkness of death and enlighten everyone affected by it. This portrays that death can never stop love's pursuit to installing joy in people's hearts who deserve it.